$1 million gift to support cardiovascular research

HONOLULU - Thanks to a $1 million anonymous gift, the John A. Burns School of Medicine’s Center for Cardiovascular Research (CCR) will be better equipped to fulfill its research mission to better understand, prevent and treat heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions. This gift establishes an endowed fund that will give the CCR director resources to enhance cardiovascular research at the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) at UH Mānoa and its hospital partners throughout Hawai‘i. By translating research into practice, patient care will be improved and research findings will ultimately help save lives.

"This generous gift supports our efforts in the Cardiovascular Center to train the next generation of cardiologists and investigators, and to gain new understanding of the heart and heart disease," said Dr. Ralph Shohet, professor of medicine and director of the Center for Cardiovascular Research. "The income from this endowment will help to support the recruitment of new scientists and the initial projects of young investigators exploring new ideas for treating heart disease."

The John A. Burns School of Medicine recently launched a cardiovascular fellowship training program in partnership with Queen’s Medical Center and under the guidance of Dr. Robert Hong, an electrophysiologist at Queens and Chief of Cardiology at the school. Because these cardiovascular fellows also need to conduct research during their sub-specialty training, having a strong research effort at the Center for Cardiovascular Research was a crucial requirement in establishing the fellowship, and will be a key element in the training program.

"This phenomenal gift is a validation of the outstanding research already being conducted by Dr. Shohet and his team at the Center for Cardiovascular Research and highlights its importance to the future health of our State," noted JABSOM Dean Jerris R. Hedges.

The funds will enhance the director’s ability to strategically invest in the CCR, helping the director to recruit top research talent, provide pilot or bridge research funding to promising new investigators, and assist faculty and staff in their professional development. The endowment gives the director the flexibility to use the funds in the manner that will best serve the future of the CCR.

"This investment in the Center for Cardiovascular Research will provide significant benefits to the state including biotech jobs, external grant support, better trained students, and, most importantly, insight into the causes and treatment of the cardiovascular diseases which affect our population," continued Dean Hedges. "We believe this gift will be leveraged several times over through innovative discoveries which will lead to better clinical care for Hawai‘i. We are truly grateful for this very generous and community-minded gift."

The John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM), UH Mānoa, named for a visionary governor, was established in 1965 and has trained more than 4,500 medical doctors through its MD or residency program. Half of Hawai‘i’s practicing physicians are faculty members or graduates of JABSOM or the Hawai‘i Residency Programs. JABSOM also trains Public Health professionals. More than 3,500 MPH, MS, DrPH and PhD degrees have been awarded from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. In 2010, JABSOM’s programs in Geriatric and Rural Medicine ranked in the United State’s Top 25 medical programs, according to US News & World Report. For more information about JABSOM, visit http://jabsom.hawaii.edu.

The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa serves approximately 20,000 students pursuing more than 225 different degrees. Coming from every Hawaiian island, every state in the nation, and more than 100 countries, UH Mānoa students matriculate in an enriching environment for the global exchange of ideas. For more information, visit http://manoa.hawaii.edu.

The University of Hawai‘i Foundation, a nonprofit organization, raises private funds to support the University of Hawai‘i System. Our mission is to unite our donors’ passions with the University of Hawai‘i’s aspirations to benefit the people of Hawai‘i and beyond. We do this by raising private philanthropic support, managing private investments and nurturing donor and alumni relationships. www.uhfoundation.org